appleworks still shipping on ibooks

[swingerofbirch]

My sister recently bought a new iBook (the ones just released) and amongst other software, it includes Appleworks 6. Wasn't Apple replacing Appleworks with iWork? iWork doesn't yet have all the functionality of Appleworks, and it is incredibly slow, but it at least looks like a set of Mac OS X applications, whereas Appleworks is still very Mac OS 9ish.

Apple is so particular about image, image, image, why keep shipping this old software?

 

[mad jew]

There's a lot of overlap between iWork and AppleWorks but by no means does one replace the other, yet... I agree, the interface is pretty old school, but it's still great from a marketing perspective for Apple to be able to say they ship with a free Office-equivilent app.

 

[swingerofbirch]

There's a lot of overlap between iWork and AppleWorks but by no means does one replace the other, yet... I agree, the interface is pretty old school, but it's still great from a marketing perspective for Apple to be able to say they ship with a free Office-equivilent app.

That's true. I use a PC for work I do at home, and I have a great free Office program called 602 PC Suite. iWork is great for making really pretty looking documents and presentations. But something fast on the mac side that would interoperate with Microsoft documents fast would be great. Although for students, the current deal of office for only 99 bucks is pretty good.

 

[jsalzer]

Don't Make Me Cry

I still really wish they'd do some basic updating of AppleWorks. Never again shall there be such a perfect (for its time) app.

Sigh.

I loved ClarisWorks.

Don't get me wrong - I'm using Pages and Keynote on a regular basis (actually more than AW), but I'd like some reassurance that AW will be around for a while (and it looks as though Longhorn and OSX.5 will probably be the end of its run.)

It's still the best Windows app out there.

 

[robbieduncan]

My latest Mini came with both AppleWorks (full version) and iWorks (trial) installed.

 

[California]

Will one of you please explain to me what Appleworks is? It was installed on my brand new iBook, too. It replaces Word? I don't get it.

 

[robbieduncan]

It's an integrated suite, like MS Works. It provides a word processor, a spreadsheet and so on in one single program. The word processor is not a fully featured as Word, but it's OK for most people.

 

[jsalzer]

What Is

Will one of you please explain to me what Appleworks is? It was installed on my brand new iBook, too. It replaces Word? I don't get it.

AppleWorks (formerly ClarisWorks) is/was a program that allows for the easy integration of Word Processing, Drawing/PageLayout, Spreadsheet, Painting, and 2-dimensional (flat) database usage.

It can replace MS Word with its Word Processing component (unless you need some of the more powerful Word features). Its spreadsheet component can replace Excel (unless you need multiple sheets in one file or need other advanced features.) The database is great if you need a simple database and not a full relational database (and merges info quite easily into the WP and Draw components). The Draw component is probably the most powerful in its ease of use, but it has been allowed to sit for way too long and does not have some now-standard abilities (maintaining non-rectangular pics, using tiling, etc.)

HTH!

 

[mad jew]

AppleWorks, and yes, that is a G3 iBook they're displaying it with. A sign of the times?

 

[tikibangout]

I was also wondering why I recieved an old app with a new machine. I don't even use anything in it besides word processing.

 

[lisius_kent]

Another sighn of it's age is its laughable minimum system requirements
"An Apple computer with a PowerPC processor
24MB of physical RAM with virtual memory set to at least 25MB
Mac OS 8.1 or later
QuickTime 4.1.2 or later (included on CD)
A CD-ROM drive (for installation)
An Internet connection*"
So you could run this app on a Powermac 6100, witch was introduced in 1994 nearly 12 years old, and they still ship the app on new machins

 

[TMA]

So you could run this app on a Powermac 6100, witch was introduced in 1994 nearly 12 years old, and they still ship the app on new machins

It's free at least!

That is unless you buy a new Powermac or Powerbook. Apple's Pro line up does not come with Appleworks. You can but it separately for £65 ish. I think there is a gaping big hole that Apple need to fill here. A modern, feature rich, easy to use word processing program.